Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
Computing devices such as personal computers, laptop computers, tablet computers, smart phones, wearable computing devices, and related peripheral devices are prevalent in numerous aspects of modern life. For example, one user may operate a smart phone, a laptop computer, a keyboard, and a mouse, possibly simultaneously. With increasing users of multiple portable devices, the demand for wireless technology continues to play a role in the use of such portable devices. As such, various forms of wireless technology have evolved to connect these portable devices for numerous applications. One wireless technology standard for exchanging data between portable devices is Bluetooth.
Bluetooth is commonly used for wirelessly connecting a device with one or more other devices over a short range. For example, Bluetooth may be used to connect a cell phone to a wireless headset, possibly allowing for hands-free use of the phone. In some instances, Bluetooth may also be used to connect the cell phone to audio speakers and a microphone of a motor vehicle, possibly allowing for hands-free use of the phone while operating the vehicle.
Bluetooth Low Energy (Bluetooth LE or BLE, sometimes referred to as Bluetooth Smart) is an extension of the Bluetooth standard that was merged into the Bluetooth standard in 2010. The BLE standard also enables wireless communication between various types of devices, and is primarily aimed at applications in the healthcare, fitness, security, and home entertainment industries. As the name implies, the BLE standard is intended to reduce power consumed over the course of wireless communication between devices, when compared to the original Bluetooth standard.